You only have to look at pictures of children writing to notice how many children are incorrectly holding their pencils to write, and as educators we need to realise that we have an epidemic of poor pencil and pen grips on our hands.
As I scroll down my social media I see more images of writers holding their pens too tightly; even at a recent meeting, our very own Georgia held her pen incorrectly … I am surrounded!
So why is having a good pencil grip important?
Holding a pencil or pen correctly requires strong finger and hand muscles and dexterity. A correct pencil grip will enable the writer to move the fingers, controlling the pencil or pen with efficient finger movements.
It is very important to address a poor pencil grip early, especially if the writer is left handed. If it is not corrected, it can affect speed and fluency and impact on academic achievement, as well as put undue stress on developing joints causing pain when writing in exams.
Teachers often ask me if they should correct a poor pencil grip and my reply is always yes, unless the writer has legible handwriting and is not in pain.
We believe that holding a pencil correctly is a very important life skill and that is why it is statutory requirement in the current National Curriculum: ‘Pupils should be taught to sit correctly at a table, holding a pencil comfortably and correctly.’
Is your school struggling to correct poor pencil grips? Contact us about our whole school training and we can show the science behind handwriting and how you can quickly improve sitting posture and pencil grips across the whole school.